Sad Fact of the Day
1st May 2013
After its stock price fell to dismal lows of sub-$400 last week, Apple promised to return up to $100bn to shareholders by starting up a share-buyback programme and paying out increased dividends.
Reports have suggested the total size of the bond issue could soar up to $16bn, which has never been matched by any other non-bank bond sale in America.
The move is surprising because Cupertino has no debt and is currently riding high on cash reserves thought to be worth around $145bn.
However, as an estimated $100bn of these reserves is locked up overseas, Apple would have to pay 35 per cent tax to repatriate it. It is cheaper for Cupertino to borrow the cash from the markets and pay interest on it, than to repatriate its cash from overseas and pay the resultant swingeing taxes.